The Estates

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The States or the Estates (French: États, German: Landstände, Dutch: Staten) signifies, in different countries and dominions, the assembly of the (feudalistic) representatives of the estates of the realm, called together for purposes of legislation or deliberation. In German speaking countries they were also known by the name Landtag (see also Diet).

In some states, the first estate were the Roman Catholic clergymen, the second estate was composed of the nobility, and the third estate was composed of the bourgeoisie and the peasants. Bourgeoisie, peasants and people with no estate from birth were separated in Sweden and Finland, as late as 1905.

[edit] Examples

• States of Jersey, States of Guernsey, States of Alderney
• States of Holland, States of Flanders, States of Brabant, ...
• Estates of Pomerania
• States of Finland
• Sejmiks in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

[edit] States General

In some countries, the estates were called together for the generality (States General or Diet)

• Belgium and the Netherlands: Staten Generaal
• Finland: Diet of Finland
• France: États Généraux; also États provinciaux (Provincial estates)
• Germany: Reichstag
• Scotland: Estates of Parliament, and its sister institution the Convention of Estates
• Spain: Generalitat de Catalunya, Generalitat Valenciana
• Sweden: Riksdag of the Estates
• Switzerland: Council of States Ständerat

In some countries the present-day parliament or government still has the historical name.